Accidental Discovery
by steinerdavion2183
Summary: The son of a retired Pronteran Knight and a Blacksmith discovers something left hidden in the past. As a result, he hiimself goes on a journey to Prontera to follow his true calling.


Authors note and Disclaimer: This is a bit repetitive... but here I go. This is my first time attempting to write a Ragnarok Online Fic. It's been a while since I plaid it, so I hope I can make it as accurate as possible. If there are any mistakes, please understand, and I extend my deepest apologies.

Prologue

" Travis, dinner's ready !" A woman's voice rang out even as a young man stood up and rubbed his brow, removing the sweat he had as he worked in the barn shoveling hay.

He was sixteen years of age, and had a leanly built body. His sort brown hair was cut in a neat manner, and his soft blue eyes clouded a little in exasperation. " I am coming, mother ! " He cried back as he put down his pitchfork into the final few bales of hay to move them somewhere else. As he did that, he noticed something on the bottom of the last few bales. He took a closer look and wondered. " Hmm, what could this be ? "

He got down to his hands and knees, and began to use his hands to feel and look at the odd looking floor. His eyes widened as he felt the shape and the existence of two brass rings on the floor. " This must be a hidden trapdoor... " He thought. " But what could be inside ? " Getting curiouser and curiouser, he was about to clear the rest of the bales of hay to get at the trapdoor when his mother's impatient voice cried out again. " Travis !!! Are you there ? Your food's getting cold young man."

He sighed and then rose to his feet and then glanced back at the hidden door and vowed to go and see it as soon as he is able to. He could feel that the trapdoor wasn't very old, and designed in such a way that hay is always piled onto it to keep it hidden. If not for his discovery, it might be hidden even longer from the world.

He took placed the pitchfork against the wall and used a towel and draped it around his neck, and took some time to dry himself, before stepping out of the barn, and headed to the main house. His father and mother were already at the table, and the sight and the aroma of the food that his mother had prepared made his stomach rumble and his mouthwater, and he temporarily forgot about the trapdoor as he sat down with his parents for dinner.

As the whole family ate, Travis commented. " Mmmm... Mother, your food tastes wonderful. I swear that you always exceed yourself when you cook. The food tastes better and better everytime I eat it."

His mother blushed a little. " Flattery won't get you anywhere, Travis... and neither does it earn you any seconds. But thank you for your compliment, nevertheless."

His father, a muscular, yet lean man looked at his wife and shook his head. " It's true, Elena... that is no compliment nor flattery... I swear, your cooking has always been this good since your... " He paused for a moment when he caught his wife's look and she shaked his head. He then turned to Travis and said. " So, son... how was work today ? "

Travis noticed the look that his mother gave his father, effectively stopping him from speaking. He then began to grew suspicious, but he pretended that he didn't notice as he replied calmly. " The usual, father... very tiring but quite fulfilling." He paused for a moment before asking in a nonchalant manner. " By the way, father, mother... did anyone of you notice something odd in our hay barn. Something like a trapdoor ? I think I found something like that while I was putting the last few bales of hay."

He noticed that both his parents stopped what they were doing and looked at each other, their expressions blank, though he caught something akin to worry in his mother's eyes. It was his father who spoke first. " Yes,Travis. There is a trapdoor, but it has been there since we moved here, and I do not know what is inside. Some things the previous owner of this place hid, I suppose... in any case, it's not our business, is it ? "

Travis grew even more suspicious at his father's rather forceful tone, meaning that there was something rather strange going on. He then nodded and shrugged. " No., I guess not."

" Good... " His father said with a finality in his tone. He then relaxed slightly and smiled wistfully at him. " Why don't you go and take a bath and have an early rest tonight, son ? There are many more new tasks I need you to do on the farm on the morrow. I'll stay and do the dishes with your mother."

Travis nodded and got up, stretching himself and said. " I suppose so, father. Whew... my muscles are still a bit sore after stacking up those hay bales. I reckon I could use a hot bath and then hit the sack early. Good night, father, mother... " He then turned and left the room, stopping for just a moment, giving a confused glance at his parents, and was met with his father's grim face and his mother's reassuring smile. He then left with a sigh and made his way to the bath close to to his room.

Elena and Pieter waited until their son was gone and out of earshot, before she glared at him. " Why did you do that, Pieter ? " She looked upset. " Did you realize what might happen if you managed to finish your sentence back then ? Do you want me to lose my only son ??? " Her face held a pained expression. " It was bad enough back then... we have lost too many people, and I almost lost you countless times... do you want me to bear that same pain again ? "

He gripped her shoulders and shook his head. " No, Elena... I am sorry for the slip of the tongue, but do you think we can keep the truth from him forever ? He has inherited your eye for detail and my persistence, my never-give-up attitude. Sooner or later, he is going to find out about the truth, and the things behind the trapdoor. We have to be prepared for that eventuality."

Elena looked at him for some time before nodding. " You are right... as much as I want to shelter him, to keep him here where it is safe... but the truth is... the outside world is not as nice as this. Do you think he is worthy to wield that sword your father left you ? Your family heirloom ? "

" I do not know... it is not time yet, but I think you can forge him something basic that he can use." Pieter replied simply.

" Allright then... I'll do it tomorrow." She said, her shoulders relaxing and she smiled at him as they put away and washed the last of the dishes. "Lets go to bed dear... "

Pieter nodded as he took his wife in his arms and carried her back to their room.

Meanwhile, in the bath, Travis was pondering over what his parents expression and the way they spoke after he casually mentioned the trapdoor. " They knew about it... and something tells me that whatever they are hiding is inside that trapdoor... I'll go take a look at it tomorrow." He thought as he quickly finished his bath and then got dressed for bed. He entered his room and flopped onto the bed and soon fell fast asleep.

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